Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF) has launched a project to help children with malformed legs from needy families.

The project, dubbed as "Running Angel," is aimed to raise funds from society to help children with malformed legs, Wang Rupeng, the CRCF secretary said Saturday.

"The funds will be used to help malformed children ages 3 to 17, covering the fees for their surgeries and recovery," Wang said.

The program has already got its first donation of one million yuan from an entrepreneur named Tang Tang and the money will be used to help 25 disabled children, according to Wang.

Currently, China has around one million disabled children, most of whom are living at remote or poor areas, said Wang.

"Children from poor families may miss the best time for treatment because the surgeries are very expensive to their families," he noted, adding that "children will be permanently disabled if they miss the best time for treatment." 

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2007)